Sorry for the prolonged absence of late. I’ll spare you the gruesome details of a medical issue that finally kept the entire gastroenterology department of a major New York City hospital in high gear for one long day. I’m on the road to recovery now, thanks to a team of superb doctors, one guardian angel nurse and one magnificent husband, and happy to be back at the keyboard.

Through it all, I continued to watch soaps, of course. All of you would have done the same, n’est pas?We can’t let a little pain in the gut stand between us and our shows, now can we? So let’s play a little catch up:

The Young and the Restless. I am not surprised that Nick and Sharon are not married yet. If they did succeed, there wouldn’t be much of a soap opera would there?After all, they’ve been breaking up and making up for twenty years! …Gina Tognoni has made an auspicious debut as Phyllis.Many of her scenes have little dialogue, yet Tognoni can express a variety of fearful ad particularly bewildered expressions well. …I have no doubt Victoria will deliver her baby soon; I don’t know how she can go on not knowing who the biologicalfather is (Billy her ex, or maybe Stitch, in my view her one true love). … Because Niki isn’t as strong as she thinks she is, she’s fallen off the wagon occasionally. … I particularly like Meredith Baxter as her friend Maureen. She has a certain vivaciousness and intelligence that adds a lot to Y&R.I think it has been particularly wise that they have made her the mother to Stitch and Kelly.

The Bold and the Beautiful carries on with the most consistent storylines on soaps. It was finally revealed — much to my surprise – that Hope’s true love is Liam, although she can’t have him because she’s married to Wyatt, by whom she is already pregnant by him.Liam to me has always been very spoiled and full of himself. I’ve much preferred Wyatt’s boyish charm.Wyatt’s biggest problem is his mother Quinn. To me, Rena Sofer is the most charming performer on soaps right now as Quinn has a bit of the devil in her and will never change. … Speaking of never changing, do you think Brooke and Bill will ever get married? They come near Liam and Hope for number of weddings that almost happened but never really did.

General Hospital really disappoints me. The show seems to write for characters it cares about and leaves many others idle and undeveloped. …Nina is way overdone, although I think Michelle Stafford is definitely giving an Emmy-winning performance. … Sonny and Carly continue to cheat behind Franco’s back, making him seem like a total fool.… Although I like Billy Miller, I’m not crazy that Jason is back. He never paid for anything he did on the show, ever. … I like the romance between Maxie and Nathan. Kirsten Storms is adorable and Ryan Peavey is by far the most attractive male on the show. …All in all, G&H off its game is interfering with my convalescence. It’s always been the stellar attraction of my afternoon, and I want it to be so again.

By the way, illness makes one reflect a lot more than one would otherwise. So lately I’ve been thinking about how much it means to me that I’ve spent nearly twenty-five years as Marlena De Lacroix. First, I’d like to thank all off you out there for your loyalty and steady and always thoughtful correspondence. I’ve gotten to know so many of you well over the years.

As the twenty-fifth anniversary of Marlena is coming up at the end of November I have a special request of all of you.Help me think of a special way to celebrate!Send me your ideas and wishes and we’ll come up with a remarkable way to mark the anniversary. Meanwhile, I’ll try to feel better and I hope you’ll be thinking and praying for me as I think about you.

1. Is it my imagination or did bravura actress Sarah Brown return to General Hospital (as Claudia Zacchara) with a little something extra under the signature slutty red wrap dress? And isn’t fierce mob princess Claudia very similar to Maerose Prizzi (Oscar winner Anjelica Huston) the fierce mob princess who wants to take control of her mob family in the 1985 hit movie Prizzi’s Honor? Is there a mob movie that Bob Guza has failed to rip off?

2. Indeed, is there any Hollywood movie that Guza hasn’t ripped off? Last night I watched 1983’s WarGames, about a nerdy but lovable teenage computer hacker [Read more…]